All change

  I wanted warm white, but couldn't bear it when I got it.

it made me more miserable by the minute. I drove back to Inverness and replaced the peachy white

  with misty white, definitely not warm, erring on the cool side, a darker shade of white, the colour of skimmed milk, of cornflour mixed with water, but it cheered me up, suited the room and blended perfectly with the misty, moistly, damp conditions outside!

We ordered the flue for the wood burner and the wood flooring 

We have a large round oak table. It has stood in store for eighteen months and taken quite a battering. It's been rolled down the drive dragged down the stairs, had any number of drinks spilt on it but it's incredible how it always perks up after a good sanding down 

and a pummeling and beating with bees wax. It takes on a wonderfully rich and mellow  sheen. 

Jo flew up on Tuesday then back down to London on Thursday. We walked, talked drank and ate too much and it was a real joy to have her company. Daughters aren't bad!

Tomorrow we have an unexpected visit from a friend who is coming to help with painting, gardening and all the many things that still need doing in and around the house - we must  be very slow - there still seems masses to do, but time and money limit what we can achieve.